Alliances
by KnifeInTheCrayonBox
Summary: With Berk's food supply destroyed by the Bewilderbeast, Hiccup makes a peace treaty with Kippernium. King Caradoc sends Jane and Gunther to Berk to negotiate the details. Jane doesn't expect to find dragons there, much less a companion in Hiccup. However, when tensions mount and a war looms on the horizon, the two must make tough decisions about where their true loyalties lie.
1. Propositions

_Chapter One – Propositions_

For what felt like the millionth time that day, Hiccup's eyes strayed to the worn, leather-bound book sitting at the edge of the desk. His fingers twitched, yearning to open it and stare at the map. He wished he could just run out of the house, hop on Toothless, and fly until he dropped off the edge of the world. There was still so much left to discover, but instead he sat at his dad's old desk, poring over old documents to try and find a solution for the latest crisis on Berk.

Suddenly the door squeaked open and Hiccup turned to see Astrid walk in, a bright smile pulling at her lips. Seeing her kind blue eyes set him at ease.

"Do you need me to ride Toothless today?" she asked, walking up beside him.

"Yeah. I'm not going to finish this anytime soon." He nodded at the stack of papers before him. She gave him a sympathetic look, but nodded and turned to leave. "Astrid?"

She stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Do you…how do you think I've been doing so far…as chief?" Hiccup asked. He needed some sort of affirmation. Some sign that he was doing _something_ right.

Her warm smile made his spirits rise as she walked back over to him. "I think you've been doing the best you can, considering the circumstances."

Hiccup was unsure how to take that comment. "Meaning?"

"Well, there are food shortage problems, and a lot of the Vikings are homeless and have taken to sleeping in the meeting hall. Some people are complaining that things are different than when your dad was in charge, but after everything that's happened, I don't think things can ever go back to normal. Your dad never had to deal with a situation like this, and you're handling it the best way you can."

Hiccup let out a silent sigh. "I know I'm not my dad."

"No, you're not, but that doesn't mean you won't be a great chief." Astrid leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I know you'll figure out a solution. You're good at that."

With his spirits somewhat back, she left, closing the door behind her. As soon as she was gone he turned his attention back to the papers, and felt his vision swim as he stared at them. He'd watched his dad spend countless nights concentrating on paper work, while Hiccup drew up inventions and dreamed. Stoick made it look so easy, but it was harder than he could have ever imagined. Why didn't he try and pay more attention?

He couldn't make speeches as well as his dad, or plan things as smoothly as his dad, or run the village like his dad used to run it. But no matter what, he would keep trying to be the kind of chief his dad was—brave and selfless; someone who put his people first. Not only was it his duty, but he made a promise to himself as he watched his dad's pyre floating out on the water. He could only hope his dad was smiling down on him from Valhalla…but he doubted it. Not with all the things going wrong at the moment.

Rubbing his tired eyes, he tried to concentrate on the papers before him. The storage houses filled with food for the winter had been completely destroyed. All food grown on Berk was tough and tasteless—much like the Vikings themselves—but none of their food supply had been able to survive the Bewilderbeast attack a month ago. With winter only a few months away, Hiccup was desperate for a solution.

He leaned forward, elbows resting on the edge of the oaken desk and his face buried in his hands. At the sound of the door squeaking open he immediately sat up, thinking Astrid had returned. He didn't want her to see the toll all this had taken on him. However, he relaxed a bit when he saw it was his mother.

"What's troubling you, Hiccup?" she asked, walking over to him.

He forced a smile. "Nothing, just a little tired."

She stepped up beside him and gave him a knowing look. "I may have been gone for twenty years, but I'm still your mother, and a mother can always tell when something is bothering her son."

He turned his gaze back to the papers lying before him. "It's just that when the Bewilderbeast came he froze nearly everything."

His mother gave him a reassuring smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We can rebuild the houses."

"Yes, but we can't rebuild food, and there isn't enough time to plant new crops before winter comes."

Her smile slowly faded, a look of realization dawning on her face. Hiccup let his face fall into his hands once again. Years ago he'd made light of the situation when his dad complained that he had an entire village to feed during the winter, but now that he was in the same situation he saw just how stressful it had been for his dad. How could he ever compare?

"I haven't been chief for a month and I'm already failing my people," Hiccup moaned, raising his head.

"What about fish? Have you sent out more fishermen?" she asked.

"Yes, but after the day is done and everyone has eaten, there's barely any food left to store."

The fact that they now had an island full of dragons to feed didn't help matters, and since the Bewilderbeast was dead and Toothless was the new Alpha, all the dragons that had lived under the care of the Bewilderbeast for so many years had taken up residence on Berk. In previous years the storehouses always lasted all winter, but they had to start saving early. And every year when spring finally appeared, the storehouses were always empty. Vikings had almost as big an appetite as dragons, and now with the new mouths to feed, there simply wasn't enough food.

"Have you thought about rationing? Just until the stocks can be refilled?"

"I was just thinking about that earlier, but even if I did that, we wouldn't have enough food for the winter."

"What about the sheep?"

"I've put aside some sheep for food, but…we still need some sheep for the dragon races." When she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, he rushed to explain his decision, "I won't stop the races—the people need some hope."

Hiccup knew he should have set aside all the sheep for the winter, but he couldn't take that sport away from them. So many Vikings had their home destroyed in the attack—their livelihood blown to bits by ice. They needed some sense of normality—something to keep their spirits up. The dragon races provided that. For an hour or two, their worries could be forgotten. It was a small light—but a light nonetheless—to shine through the dark times.

"We'll think of something." Valka looked away, her gaze traveling to compartments on the wooden desk that had once belonged to Stoick. "Hiccup, have you gone through your father's old papers yet?"

"No. I meant to, but…" He gestured to the scattered papers before him.

"Years ago your father made a list of all the enemies of the Vikings," she said, gesturing for Hiccup to move aside. He stood up and let her sit down on the stool. She began shifting through the drawers, looking for the list. "If he still has that paper, perhaps we could find a former enemy willing to make a peace treaty with us. It would include trading, of course."

"But we don't have anything valuable to trade."

Hiccup knew most kingdoms had a currency, but Berk had always been all alone out in the ocean. Whatever they needed, they found on the island or did without. Occasionally Trader Johann would stop by their little speck of an island, but they would always trade goods instead of metal currency for things they wanted. There was no need for metal to be melted down for money when it was better used on weapons and inventions.

She finally pulled out a single sheet of paper with writing all over it, then turned to Hiccup with a smile. "We have our fearsome reputation. Any kingdom would be glad to have a clan of Vikings as their allies instead of their enemies. In return for trade, we could promise our full support if their kingdom is ever attacked."

The more Hiccup thought about it, the more he liked the idea. "Do you really think it could work?"

She gave a shrug and let out a small laugh. "We'll never know unless we try, and we don't have any better options."

Hiccup smiled and nodded in agreement. "All right, who's on the list?" He took a step forward and stood beside her, scanning over the names on the list. Next to each listed kingdom was the name of the most recent king or chief…if nothing had changed in the last twenty years, that is. "Hey, what about the Scots? This, um…" Hiccup followed the line to the name of their leader. "King Fergus. Do you think he would agree to a peace treaty?"

Valka frowned. "I doubt he would listen to us. Those Scots are brutal and can hold a grudge. When I was carried away twenty years ago the Vikings were still fighting the Scots, and they'll likely remember that. We have to find a kingdom that we haven't had any war with in years."

Hiccup's eyes scanned over the list. The paper didn't tell him which kingdoms the Viking clan had fought recently. He could still remember the wars that went on when he was younger, before they had stopped raiding to concentrate on their dragon problem.

"Ah, here's one," his mother announced, pointing to a kingdom near the end of the list. Hiccup leaned over and read it. Kippernium. Next to the kingdom was a name—King Caradoc. "We haven't fought with this kingdom in over forty years, and a Scandinavian noblewoman recently married their king, some twenty years ago." Hiccup knew what that meant. A lot of the Vikings were of Scandinavian descent. Even though a number of Viking clans had broken off from the country, they still remained on fairly friendly terms, meaning they left each other alone and didn't attack the other. "We've always been on friendly terms with the Scandinavians, so she might advise him to form an alliance with us."

"Great. Should I saddle up Toothless and pay them a visit?" Hiccup asked, already planning the trip. Valka immediately shook her head, laying a hand on Hiccup's arm.

"No, dragons are thought to be extinct in that area. We don't want to frighten them, and you can't deliver the message yourself. That's not how they do things in over there. First, we must send an envoy to deliver a message to the King, requesting a meeting with him to discuss the terms of our alliance. Then he will invite you to his Kingdom."

"All right." Hiccup agreed, trying to think of someone who would be able to complete the task. Someone he trusted. "I'll send the message with Astrid."

Valka shook her head again. "No, over there the women do not carry out important missions. Their place is seen as the home." Hiccup laughed at the idea. Any man foolish enough to tell a Viking woman her place was in the house might lose an arm. "To them it would be seen an insult if you sent a woman to deliver the message. It must be a man."

"How do you know so much about their customs?"

Valka smiled, a reminiscent look in her eyes. "I grew up in Norway, and my father was a merchant who traveled to distant lands to trade. One night when we were out at sea, the boat capsized and I washed up on the shores of Berk. Stoick's father, Gunnar, took me in. Your father and I fell in love and we were wed shortly after your father became chief."

"Was he always such a great chief?" Hiccup asked. As far back as he could remember, his dad was always the one with a plan—the one everyone looked up to. Hiccup was always considered a disappointment when compared to his father, and even though everyone looked up to him now—called him The Pride of Berk—fifteen years of being invisible was hard to forget.

"He was a lot like you—stubborn, but with a heart to serve his people." Hiccup smiled at this. "In fact, your father was the same age as you when he became chief."

Hiccup's eyes widened in surprise. His father didn't talk much about his first years as chief, or much about his past at all—being a man of few words—but he still found himself surprised that he shared more in common with his father than he thought. "You mean my grandfather made him chief when he was twenty?"

Valka's normally happy expression sobered. "Gunnar didn't pass on the title. He died in battle, and your father had to take over the role."

Hiccup wanted to know more. There was still so much about his father he was still finding out, and he could have sat there and listened to Valka talk about the past for hours, but she cleared her throat and smiled, seeming to remember the urgent matter at hand. "So, who shall we send?"

That proved more difficult. There weren't too many people Hiccup trusted with important matters. Astrid and his mother were among the few, and they were both women. _What would dad have done?_ Hiccup thought, and suddenly an idea came.

He turned and gave his mom a smile. "Who was the one person dad trusted the most?"

* * *

><p>Jane was making her usual patrol when she spotted something down in the woods out of the corner of her eye. She swung her head in the direction, orange hair whipping around her face. She pushed the curls back and leaned over slightly, peering down into the woods. Yes, there was definitely something down there. However, she didn't have a dragon's eyesight, and couldn't see exactly what it was. It was probably a deer or wild hog, but she always had to assume otherwise if she wanted to stay on the safe side. Before she could get a good look the dark object disappeared from her view—concealed by the dense cover of trees.<p>

"Dragon, can you see what's down there?" she asked, patting his neck. He turned his head to the side, slowing down.

"Yes, there's a short life riding a horse."

This struck Jane as odd. When she left for patrol nearly twenty minutes ago all the horses were in their stalls, and people from the castle rarely rode out this far. There was nothing but forests stretching for miles and miles.

"Is he from the Kingdom?"

Dragon let out a snort. "Well how should I know? Do I look like I know every single short life in the castle? Now if you asked me whether I know all the cows in the kingdom that would be a different story."

Jane chuckled and rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Of course, you big lizard."

"But I will admit he is dressed strange."

Jane rose an eyebrow at this. "Strange _how?_"

"He is wearing animal pelts and a helmet with long horns sticking out of it. He also has a wooden leg and an arm with a spiked metal ball on the end."

Jane frowned. Nobody would wear such strange clothing in Kippernium, and she knew of no one in the whole Kingdom who had had a wooden leg, much less an arm like the one Dragon had described. It must be a foreigner, then. The question was, was he friendly? He almost sounded dangerous, with an arm like that.

"Which direction is he headed, Dragon?"

"East, towards the castle." There was a brief pause. "Shall we go and roast him?" Dragon gave her a grin.

Jane frowned and shook her head, sending her curls flying. "No. We must go back and warn the others. He might be a threat to the castle."

Jane and Dragon hastened back to the castle. When they arrived Jane jumped off Dragon and ran up to Sir Theodore, who was polishing his sword in the training yard.

"Sir Theodore, while Dragon and I were out on patrol we noticed a strange man riding through the forest. We know he does not belong to this kingdom."

His gray eyes snapped up to meet hers, and he sheathed his sword. "Strange, you say? How so?"

"Dragon told me he was wearing fur and a helmet with horns. He also had a wooden leg and an arm with a spiked metal ball on the end."

"Horned helmet?" Sir Theodore repeated, a brief flicker of panic flashing in his eyes. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Uneasiness bloomed in her stomach. She had been a squire to Sir Theodore for eight years, and there were few things that scared him. If Sir Theodore was fearful of this stranger, then God help them all.

"Alert Sir Gunther at once, and stand guard with him at the entrance," he ordered as he stood. His voice was tight—clipped. Jane noticed an impassive look crossed his face to hide his true emotions. Knights were trained to hide any signs of outward weakness. Emotions must not be carried into the arena or the battlefield—it clouded the judgment. If an enemy saw a fearful look upon a knight's face, it could be used to their advantage. "I will go and get Sir Ivon. Let no one pass until we have arrived."

"Who is the stranger, Sir?"

"If I am correct in my assumptions, it is a Viking."

Jane's eyes widened in alarm. She had heard many tales of the savagery of the Viking raiders. They attacked mercilessly and killed without reason. Anyone left still standing after a Viking attack was taken as prisoner and sold into slavery. Jane reached down to grip her sword—her one weapon against this dreaded enemy. He was only one man—but he might be a scout. Whatever reason he had for being here, it could not be good.

Sir Theodore started to walk away, but then stopped and turned back to face Jane. "Has this stranger seen Dragon?"

"No, Sir."

"Then tell Dragon to stay out of sight. Viking ancestors were the greatest dragons hunters to ever exist, and we want to try and resolve this peacefully, don't we, Jane?"

"Yes, Sir."

When Sir Theodore turned the corner and disappeared from her sight, she started towards the castle entrance. She had turned to walk away when Dragon swooped down and called her back. "And what should I do?"

"Just wait inside the castle. Do not let the stranger see you. I'll use the sword whistle if I need assistance," Jane replied, patting the hilt of the dragon sword tied around her waist. Her fingers brushed over the rune symbols before rushing to the castle entrance, where Gunther was serving sentry duty.

"What is it, Jane? Come to see how a real knight does his job?" he asked, looking down on her. Jane decided to ignore him this time, knowing there were more important things at hand.

"There is a stranger headed towards the castle. Sir Theodore has ordered that no one shall pass until he and Sir Ivon have arrived."

As soon as he heard this the mocking look on Gunther's face disappeared, and the smug grin he wore was replaced by a serious frown. He stood up straighter and faced the entrance, hand reaching down to grip the hilt of his sword. Jane stood tall at the other side. Finally, a man just as Dragon had described rode up. He was even stranger in person. Not only was he dressed different, but he had a long, straggly mustache and big, bushy eyebrows.

"Who goes there?" Sir Gunther called out, his grip tightening around his sword.

"My name is Gobber, and I have a message for your King," he said casually as he dismounted his horse.

"We cannot let you pass, sir," Jane replied. She gripped the hilt of her sword and was ready to draw it when Sir Theodore stepped into view, holding up a hand to stop Jane. Sir Ivon was right behind him. Both stepped in front of Jane and Gunther, as if to protect them.

"What is your business here?"

"I have a message for your King."

"And who has sent you?"

"Chief Hiccup of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe." Jane furrowed her eyebrows, trying to figure out why the name of that tribe sounded so familiar. She had heard of the Vikings, but the name of their tribe seemed to stand out in particular. Jane shook the thoughts away, making herself focus on the present. She looked to Sir Theodore and saw his jaw tighten—the only sign of emotion on his face. It was silent for a few moments, but finally Sir Theodore spoke.

"Very well. Leave all weapons with Sir Ivon here, then we will escort you into His Majesty's Throne Room. He will also take care of your horse."

Gobber pulled a dagger from his belt, then slipped a giant ax from the sheath slung across his back. After emptying his saddlebag of three other weapons, he took the reins of his horse and handed them both over to Sir Ivon. He gave them a big smile.

"Well, that's it."

"Please remove your weaponized arm, sir." Sir Theodore said, nodding towards the metal appendage. Gobber frowned, but reached down and unlatched the straps and clips keeping his hand in place. After he handed it over Sir Theodore nodded to both Jane and Gunther. Jane instantly jumped into action, taking the right side of the stranger, while Gunther flanked his left side. Sir Theodore led the party to the double doors of the Throne Room. A guard stood on duty, and Sir Theodore asked him to announce them.

A moment later the guard returned, giving them a nod. "The King will see you straight away."

The party of four walked in. Jane stood tight as a spring, ready to act if the situation called for it. Her hand rested on her sword, in case the stranger should try to harm the King. Gobber bowed when they stood before King Caradoc, and pulled a letter from his pocket.

"Your Majesty, I have a letter here from Chief Hi—" Gobber tried to step forward, the letter in his outstretched hand, but Sir Theodore's hand clamped down on his shoulder, stopping him.

"You are not to approach the King. I will hand over the letter," he said. Gobber handed him the letter, which Sir Theodore then gave to King Caradoc.

"Sort of a roundabout way of doing things, don't you think?" Gobber asked, a smile on his face. Everyone was silent as King Caradoc broke the wax seal and opened the letter. He read the contents, then smiled slightly as he turned his gaze back to Gobber.

"I must admit I am relieved you come on friendly terms, considering the past between our two kingdoms."

"Yes, but the past is in the past. We have a new Chief. His name is Hiccup."

"Yes, I read that in the letter." King Caradoc glanced down at the letter briefly. "When last our kingdoms met your leader was named Gunnar, correct?"

"Yes, he was Hiccup's grandfather." Jane recognized that name from somewhere, but as hard as she racked her brain for details, couldn't remember where she'd heard it.

"And Hiccup's father? What of him?" the King asked, drawing Jane's attention back to the current matter.

Gobber looked down at the ground, his expression becoming solemn. "He died in a terrible accident nearly a month ago. Hiccup took over the role, and is very eager to put the past behind him and move forward. He is a peacemaker, and wants to be on friendly terms with your kingdom."

Jane furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. A Viking on a peace mission? That seemed to go against everything she had heard about the savage raiders. What reason would they have to make peace with Kippernium?

The King leaned back in his chair. "I see. Tell me more about this Chief Hiccup."

"Well, he's smart and brave and noble—" Gobber began, but King Caradoc held up a hand.

"I do not imply you are being dishonest, but those are the pleasantries every subject uses to describe his King. Tell me more about the _real_ Hiccup. I want to know the man behind the title, so to speak."

Gobber was silent for a moment, then began to speak. "He's stubborn and boar headed—just like his father. He doesn't listen most of the time, and he can never stay put. Sometimes he acts without thinking. Now that I think about it, he does that a lot, actually. He's too trusting for his own good, and he always believes in the best of people to a fault. He's young and not very experienced in being Chief, but he has the best intentions of his people at heart. He would not hesitate to risk his own life for them, as he has displayed in the past."

The King smiled. "Thank you for your honesty, Sir."

"So, shall I tell Hiccup you have accepted the proposal? Of course, he would like to come here and hammer out the details—"

King Caradoc held up a hand, cutting him off. "I did not say that. I would first like to discuss this matter with my counsel. You will receive an answer in the morning." He motioned for a guard standing nearby to step forward. "In the meantime, my guard will escort you to a chamber for the night. Anything you need will be brought to you."

"Thank you very much, Your Highness."

As soon as Gobber disappeared the King turned to his two knights and one squire. "I will confer with you here again in one hour." With this, the three were dismissed.

Jane immediately went out to search for Jester. She needed to know why the name Hairy Hooligan Tribe sounded so familiar. Perhaps Jester would recognize it and give her some answers. She figured there had to be some history between Kippernium and the Viking tribe. There had only been two major wars against the kingdom, but there were a lot of enemies of the King. Jane found Jester sitting on a high wall, playing a new song for Dragon.

"Jane! You've got to hear this new song by Jingle Boy! It's hilarious!"

Jane smiled. "Maybe some other time."

Jester laid his lute aside, a smile blooming across his face when he saw her.

"I have something to tell you," Jester said at the same time that Jane said, "I have a question for you."

"You go first," Jester said, gesturing towards Jane.

She smiled and shook her head, her curls fanning around her face. "No, it's all right. You can go first."

Jester grabbed his lute and walked over to Jane. "Well, you see…" He paused for a minute to look over his shoulder. Dragon sat there, staring at the both of them. Finally, he let out a sigh and heaved himself into the air with a flap of his wings.

"All right, I can take a hint. I shall go and talk to the cows, they _like_ my company."

Jane chuckled. More like they _feared_ his company. She turned her gaze back to Jester to see a serious expression on his usually smiling face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Nothing at all. Everything is fine—great, even. I just…I'm not sure how to say it…"

"The Court Jester is at a loss for words? This must be very serious indeed," Jane teased, but for once the smile he gave her in response didn't quite reach his eyes. "All right, now you have me worried. What is it?"

Jester reached a hand up and scratched at the back of his neck, showing clear discomfort. "I know the most important thing to you right now is your Knighthood, but seeing as how you're less than a year away from becoming a proper Knight, well I figured now was as good a time as ever to tell you." Jester glanced up at her, as if making sure she was still paying attention. "You see, for quite a few years now, I've been—I _am_—in love with you, Jane."

Jane was surprised and not surprised, all at once. She supposed she should have expected this sooner or later. When she was young, and first began her knight's training, she had a crush on her best human friend. It was apparent to Jane that he had feelings for her as well. As time went on, she fancied she may even be in love. But then seasons changed and she grew out of her awkward teenage years so full of confusing changes, and her feeling dimmed down. She would always love and care for Jester—just not in the way he apparently loved her. Jane assumed Jester had outgrown his feelings for her as she had for him, but evidently she was wrong—and now stuck in an awkward situation.

"Jester…" Jane's voice came out barely above a whisper, unable to say much more.

What should she do? She loved Jester, but more like a brother than anything else, and she didn't want to hurt him. If she rejected him, would he cease to be her friend? Jane immediately shook her head. No, he had always been the one person who stuck beside her no matter what; she was silly to even let that thought pass through her mind…but it might change things between them. Jane raised her eyes to meet his steely gaze, eyes shining kindly. A hopeful expression was on his face, but it quickly fading into uncertainty. He was still waiting for an answer.

"I am…flattered, Jester. You mean a lot to me as well."

"Oh! I forgot the question part!" Jester explaining, slapping a hand against his forehead. "Jane, may I start courting you?"

* * *

><p><strong>A bit long for the first chapter, but I couldn't see cutting it any shorter, and honestly, this is all I have written so far. But I <em>do<em> have the whole plot planned out (from beginning to end) for this one, so that helps. Not sure when the next update will come, since I have a few stories going on at once, but there _will_ be updates for this one.**

**Hope you enjoyed the start of this story! :)**


	2. Setting Off

_Chapter Two – Setting Off_

For perhaps the first time in her life, Jane was speechless. How should she respond? She didn't want to tell Jester she didn't feel the same, but knew she couldn't lie to him about something so important. If she could just have a little time to think about how to tell him. All she needed was a way to break it to him gently—a way to turn him down without damaging their friendship.

"I need some time…to think about it," she said with a nod.

"Oh, of course. I don't need an answer right away," Jester rushed to assure her.

She smiled, affection for her best human friend stirring up within her. "You are such a great friend, Jester."

His smile didn't disappear, but Jane could see the light in his eyes dimmed down a bit at the word _friend_. "So, you had a question for me?"

"Oh, right." _Anything to get away from the awkward topic at hand_, Jane thought. "Have you ever heard of a group of Vikings called The Hairy Hooligan Tribe? I heard the name and thought it sounded familiar."

Jester furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "Yes, it does. Why do you ask?"

"A Viking from that tribe just arrived. He had a message for the King. Apparently the new chief wants to make a peace treaty with Kippernium."

Jester cracked a smile. "A Viking on a peace mission? Now that would be a good joke."

"But this is serious, Jester. I know there is a history between our two kingdoms. I just don't know what it is."

He gave a shrug. "We could check the library."

"Good idea."

Jane made sure to keep track of the time as they searched through the books. There were thousands of them, but with no way of knowing where to begin, they had to guess. Neither knew exactly where to look for information, so they found little. She was about to forgo her search and wait outside the throne room for the meeting—Jane estimated she had about twenty minutes until it started—when her father walked through the doors.

"Oh, Jane, what are you doing in here?" he asked as he walked over to a stepping stool.

"Jester and I were looking for information. I am sure you have heard of the Viking visitor?"

"Indeed, I have," he said as he climbed up onto a stool to grab a book from one of the higher shelves. "The King has asked me to fetch him some books. What information are you looking for?"

"The visitor says he is from The Hairy Hooligan Tribe." At this her father's hand stalled and his arm rested midway between him and the book he was reaching for. "Does that name sound familiar to you?"

He turned around with a serious expression on his face. "What message did the Viking bring?"

"He says the new chief wants to make a peace treaty with our kingdom."

Jester smiled. "Funny, is it not?"

"This is no laughing matter." Her father said solemnly. "I have not heard that name uttered in a long time, but I remember it clearly. That is the kingdom which attacked Kippernium nearly a century ago and forced the royal family into hiding for forty years."

Jane's eyes widened at the revelation. No wonder it sounded so familiar. She heard about the Wilderness Years and the return of the royal family to power during her knight's training. Of course, there was little mention of the attacking kingdom, as no one liked to mention the name of the enemy, but she had heard it a few times.

"And now they come seeking peace? That does not make any sense," Jester said, bringing Jane out of her thoughts, and she had to agree.

"Let us be glad they come in peace this time," her father said before turning back to his task.

Jane turned to Jester, and saw the worried look on his face. She knew they were thinking the same thing: why were they seeking to make a peace treaty after all these years? Many years had passed since the Wilderness Years, but the wound was still there—raw and tender. Why risk trying to make peace with a kingdom they had attacked in the past? Unless they were hiding something. She knew the King must be thinking something similar, for he rarely called for a counsel to give him advice. He was a capable ruler and made wise decisions, but this was a complicated matter.

"Thank you for your help, Jester, but I must go now. The King has called for a counsel and the meeting will begin soon."

"Of course."

He gave her a smile, and Jane felt herself return it. Would it really be so bad for Jester to court her? She may not be in love with him, but she held a love for him that was unique. Many women her age entered into arranged marriages without even knowing their husband, and ended up with a lifelong partner they did not love—not even in the friendship sense. At least she and Jester were a good team, and held a strong bond of friendship. She could see them spending many happy years together, but could she enter into marriage when she could not give him her heart completely? Would it not be wrong to marry him when she could not love him the way he loved her? And she knew that's what it would quickly lead to if she accepted his proposal of courtship—marriage.

Before she could let her emotions get the better of her she turned and walked away, not stopping until she reached the hall outside the throne room. She found Gunther standing there, waiting as well. He looked up and met her gaze, but for once he did not have any sharp remarks or insults for her.

Soon Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon arrived and they walked over to the tables in front of the King's throne. King Caradoc sat at the head of the table, with Queen Gwendolyn to his left, and Prince Cuthbert on his right hand side. Jane sat down next to the Queen, with Gunther on her other side, and the two elder knights took seats across from them.

"I assume most of you in this room know the history between our kingdom and the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, but what about the younger generation?"

"I have taught my squires in their history lessons," Sir Theodore said, giving a nod towards Gunther and Jane.

"Very good."

"What history, father?" Cuthbert asked.

"Would one of you two younger ones like to tell him the story?" King Caradoc asked. Jane took one look at Gunther—whose eyes had grown wide and face had paled just the slightest shade—and knew he didn't know the story. It didn't surprise her all that much. Gunther excelled at combat, where he had to use his muscles, but when it came to books and reading, he was lost.

"The Hairy Hooligan Tribe was the kingdom that attacked Kippernium nearly a century ago. They were the ones who forced the royal family into hiding, which lasted for forty years."

"Well said, Jane," the King commended her, and she felt a sense of pride over the fact that she had impressed him. King Caradoc turned and gestured towards a tapestry hanging on the wall. It showed a picture of the castle, village, and fields all around it. Red and orange flames engulfed much of the castle and village, with black smoke billowed up into the clouds. Below, in the water of the port, was a Viking longship.

"My father had this made to mark the battle that ended the Wilderness Years for my family, and as a way to remember the victory over our enemies." He turned back to face his counsel. "Enemies that might soon become allies."

The King was silent for a moment, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table, fingers forming a steeple that tapped against his chin. "I have called this meeting to discuss the options. Of course I want peace, and an alliance could prove beneficial. The Vikings are known for their savagery and a treaty with them may ward off attacks from other kingdoms."

Jane hadn't thought about that, but now realized it. Their kingdom was prosperous, but small, which put them in a very precarious situation. There remained but only four knights in the kingdom. Many years before—when Jane was still young—Sir Theodore had been forced to release all of Kippernium's knights from service, since the royal treasury was in debt and the King did not have enough money to pay their retirement fees. After being released from their duty, they all left, with only Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon remaining because of their loyalty to the King. That event left them at risk, because in the event of an attack there would only the four knights, villagers with pitchforks, and a dragon to defend the castle—and the dragon was what kept most greedy kingdoms away…but only for the moment. How long before they overcame their fear and readied for battle? However, no one would dare attack if the Vikings were on their side.

"But it is because of their reputation that I am leery of their motives. Why, after so many years, do they choose to come to us offering peace? It may be that new chief is a peacekeeper, but I am not sure I can trust him." He drummed the tips of his fingers together, and then turned to Sir Theodore. "What is your advice?"

"Your Majesty, it has been my experience that when a kingdom proposes a peace treaty with another kingdom they have recently been to war with, there can only be two reasons: they are trying to create a false sense of security and trying to get information so they can plan an attack, or they are in desperate need of resources and they believe if they make an alliance, the other kingdom can provide them with that."

The King gave a nod, as if that was what he was thinking. "Yes, I quite agree. The only question is, which one is the right assumption?"

"I believe we should further investigate, but I must advise against inviting their chief to Kippernium, and I also strongly advise against you traveling to Berk to seek out the answer. The risks are too great in either case."

"What do you suggest then?"

"I suggest we send two of our own envoys to Berk, under the guise of discussing the details of the peace treaty, to assess the situation there. It would also be a good opportunity to make out the true character of this Chief Hiccup—see if the messenger is telling the truth."

"What is your opinion on the matter, Sir Ivon?" the King asked.

"I agree with Sir Theodore, Your Majesty."

"Good, then we are all in agreement," the King said, and for the first time since the meeting began, he gave a small smile. "We shall make preparations at once."

"Sir Ivon and I will begin packing at once, Your Majesty," Sir Theodore said, but the King held up a hand.

"I admire your eagerness, but I was referring to Sir Gunther and Squire Jane."

Sir Theodore's eyebrows lifted slightly. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, both Gunther and Jane are young and inexperienced in such matters. Jane has yet to achieve Knighthood and I believe sending someone who has experience in the field would be the best option."

"Normally I would agree, but this letter I received states that the new Chief is young—only twenty years old." King Caradoc pulled out the paper and slid it forward onto the table. "Sir Gunther is twenty-two, and Jane is the same age as the Chief. I believe the young man would be able to connect and reveal more of his true character to his peers, rather than to someone who he would consider an elder." He turned his eyes to Jane and Gunther. "I expect you to be packed and ready to leave early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Gunther immediately piped up, and Jane echoed his statement.

"Now there is only the question of Dragon. I would feel better if he accompanied you, but I know the Viking ancestors were the fiercest and most skilled dragon slayers. They have special blades that are able to pierce dragon skin, am I correct?" The King turned his gaze to Sir Ivon.

"Yes, I have checked over the stranger's weapons and he has a blade much like squire Jane's."

"I do not want to risk Dragon's life, and I do not want to provoke an attack that I am sure would come if they found out we house a dragon within our castle walls, but I do not want my knight's to be defenseless against an attack from their tribe."

"May I suggest that Dragon follow at a distance, in case the need should arise?" Sir Theordore suggested. "Jane's sword can summon him."

"Yes, quite a good idea. And when you land, I want you to make sure Dragon stays far enough away that he will not be seen by the Viking tribe. If your report should be favorable and the treaty move forward, we will find a way to tell them about our…special resident," King Caradoc said, giving a wave of his hand. "Jane, you shall inform Dragon at once."

"Yes, your Majesty," she said obediently.

"And one last thing, I want you two to take note of any valuables this tribe may have to trade. This alliance may prove beneficial to our kingdom in more ways that just security." Jane and Gunther gave a nod. "Good. This meeting is dismissed."

With the last word he stood and offered a hand to his wife. King Caradoc motioned for his son to follow as they walked away, officially ending the meeting. The four remaining people sat in silence, while Jane tried to read Sir Theodore's expression. She could tell by the way his jaw clenched that he didn't agree with King Caradoc's plan to send her and Gunther, but he wouldn't dare question him. After all, he had sworn an oath to him and vowed to obey his commands, even ones he didn't quite understand.

"You have your orders," Sir Thoeodore finally said. He stood and turned to the two youngest members seated at the table. "You are to return to your quarters and begin packing immediately. Jane, after that you will inform Dragon of his orders."

"Yes, Sir," they both said, standing up. Jane went immediately back to her room and pulled out a large leather satchel from under her bed. She thought about what she would need while on the mission, and tried to include all the necessities. She would need heavier clothing, since the Vikings lived far up in the north, where it was bound to be cold. Once she had packed extra clothes she unbuckled the leather strap holding her sword around her waist. She ran a calloused thumb over the runes, thinking about what Sir Theodore had said.

If Vikings were once the greatest dragon hunters to ever live, they would recognize it as the sword of a dragon slayer. That might be useful in gaining their trust, and it would also be helpful in summoning Dragon if things went sour while on the mission…but what if the treaty went through? If an alliance was established and trading began between the two kingdoms the Vikings would find out about Dragon. Was King Caradoc right—could there be a way to break it to them as gently as possible? What would they do once they learned the King kept a large dragon in the castle, like he was some sort of pet? Would they try and slay Dragon?

Jane put the sword down on her bed. She couldn't question the king's orders, but she didn't like the idea of letting Dragon follow behind and staying hidden unless called for. Sure, the large lizard might think he was fully capable of handling any 'short life' but these Vikings were skilled dragon slayers, and who knows what they might be able to do to him if they found out about his presence?

"So, what did stump foot want?"

Jane nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice, but recognized it instantly. She spun around and placed both hands on her hips. "Haven't you heard it's rude to sneak up on people?"

"Well, _someone_ is certainly jumpy today," Dragon commented. "So what did he want?"

Jane let out a sigh and sat down on her bed, while Dragon poked his head through the window. "He was delivering a message from the Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe."

At that name Dragon let out a laugh. "_Hairy Hooligan_ Tribe? Ha, you short lives are hilarious with these names you come up with!"

"Dragon, this is serious business. The new chief wants to make an alliance with our kingdom, but the King is not sure about his motives, since that same tribe is the one who forced the royal family into the Wilderness Years nearly a century ago. So he is sending me and Gunther to find out what this is all about."

"Ah, so _that_ is why you are packing. Well, I'm ready to leave when you are."

"Dragon, you cannot fly me there. We need you to follow at a distance and make sure no one sees you. Once we reach Berk you must stay to the outskirts and only come if I summon you."

Dragon looked insulted by Jane's words. "Why?"

Jane had been wishing he wouldn't ask that, because she knew she could never lie to him. "The Vikings ancestors were known as the fiercest dragon slayers, and since dragons are thought to be extinct, who knows what seeing one might make them do. I just want you to stay safe."

"Oh, so you think I can't handle myself against a bunch of hairy little short lives? Is that how little you think of me? I'll have you know I could roast their entire village in a single breath…" Dragon raised a hand and tapped a large claw against his chin. "Provided it is not as big as this kingdom."

Jane laughed. "Of course, you big lizard, but since this alliance could ensure a lasting peace, we do not want to do anything that might provoke an attack. Do you understand?"

"No." Jane frowned at him. "But since it seems important to you, I will promise not to interfere…but just say the word, Jane, and I will rain fire down upon them."

Jane moved forward and gave him a hug. "Of course. Now please leave, I must finish my packing."

* * *

><p>The next morning Jane rose bright and early, grabbing her satchel and heading for the throne room. Sir Theodore, Sir Ivon, and Sir Gunther all stood there, with the latter holding a satchel of his own.<p>

A few minutes later they were all called into the Throne Room and stood in attendance as King Caradoc gave his reply to Gobber. "I am willing to make an alliance, but I would like to send two envoys to Berk instead of inviting your Chief here. Of course, once my two envoys have discussed the details of the treaty and brought back a document outlining it, I will invite the Chief here to further discuss the possible alliance." King Caradoc motioned for Sir Theodore to approach the throne and handed him a scroll bearing the wax seal of the King. "This letter is to be delivered to your Chief, and my two envoys are packed and ready to leave immediately."

Gobber looked slightly surprised, and even a little bit fearful at his words. "Your Majesty, I think it might be better if Hiccup had some time to prepare Berk to receive your envoys. Maybe a week or two? I mean, you should see Berk, there's ice everywhere and the houses are dusty…haven't even started on spring cleaning yet—"

King Caradoc held up a hand, silencing him. "I have stated my terms. You will escort my envoys to Berk."

Gobber let out a sigh. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

The horses were already saddled and brought out to the courtyard, with their saddlebags secured down. Smithy gave Jane an encouraging nod as he handed the reins to her. "Be careful, Jane."

She smiled back at him, placing a hand on his arm. "You know me, I always am."

Pepper was already waiting, and took a step forward to hug Jane. When she pulled away a few moments later, Jane gave a smile and nod to Pepper's two children, who stood beside their father, Rake.

"Good luck, Jane," Rake called out, and Jane gave a smile.

"Thank you, Rake."

Suddenly a blue flash caught her eyes, and she turned to see Jester running towards her, waving a hand. When he caught up to her, he was panting. "I wanted to make it before you left, to wish you good luck and a safe journey."

Jane stepped forward and gave him a hug, which he eagerly returned. "I will miss you while I'm gone," she whispered low enough for only him to hear. "And I promise I will think long and hard about your offer while I am away."

When she pulled away he gave a slight chuckle. "No, you won't. Your mind will be on the mission—right where it should be. There will be time for decisions later, after you have returned safe."

"Look at the gentle lady, come to wish her knight a safe journey," Gunther mocked them.

"At least I _have_ someone to come and wish me a safe journey," she rebuffed, and the grin immediately slid off his safe. He sneered at them before digging his heels into the horse's side, trotting off to wait by the gate for their little entourage to leave.

She turned back to Jester in time to see Lavinia rushing over to them, with her mother hurrying behind the fourteen-year-old princess, reminding her that ladies did _not_ run. Her skirts whipped around her ankles, and she came to a sudden stop in front of Jane, eyes shining with delight and excitement.

"Oh, Jane, father told me the news! I cannot wait until you get back so I can hear all about your adventures!" she gushed, clasping both hands together.

Jane smiled at the young princess fondly. "Yes, you shall hear of them as soon as I return."

Lavinia clapped at that. "Have fun, Jane!"

Jane laughed, thinking how funny it was that everyone should be so somber and serious about her departure, while the princess was practically bouncing with joy at the thought of adventure and excitement.

"Godspeed, Jane," her mother said calmly, but Jane could see the concern and worry in her eyes. She gave a nod to her mother.

"Thank you."

She turned and mounted her horse—the last one to set off for the gate, where the other two waited for her. With one last wave to her friends and family, she set off.

* * *

><p><strong>The next chapter will have the big reveal. I know this seems like a bunch of filler, but it was necessary to set up the plot, and hopefully not <em>too<em> boring. :)**

**All information and background about the Kingdom of Kippernium is taken from the Jane And The Dragon Timeline. If you want it for reference, you can find it by Googling "Jane And The Dragon Timeline", and clicking on the first link.**

**Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed! Your encouragement means a lot, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :)**


	3. Misunderstandings

_Chapter Three – Misunderstandings_

Jane's back stung from sitting up straight for so long, while her bottom had gone numb a while ago. They had been traveling for a week now, and she worried that she just might fall asleep on the back of her horse and slip off.

She was by no means in bad shape, but their guide seemed to want to get back home as soon as possible. Food breaks were taken while the horses ate, and they only slept for six hours before they were forced to keep going (Jane had a sneaking suspicion this was only done for the horses benefit, though). Their guide was either very eager to return home, or he was trying to kill them through sleep deprivation and exhaustion. She could just imagine how the news would be delivered, _"I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, but your two envoys just collapsed on the way there. They dropped down dead."_

Jane grabbed the edges of her woolen cloak and hugged it closer, her cheeks slowly going numb from the cold air whipping around them. It never seemed like such a long distance on the back of Dragon, but then again, neither she nor Dragon had ever been so far up north as they were traveling now.

When she raised her eyes back to the horizon, and saw black smoke and the outline of houses in the distance, she nearly cried out in relief. They had finally reached a village, where they could buy some real food and sleep at an inn for the night. That is, if their guide had any mercy. He might just decide to stop for a short break and keep going. After all, it was only mid-afternoon. They had a few more hours of daylight left. She sulked back down in the saddle. The horse gave a whinny, and Jane reached forward to pat her neck comfortingly. She could feel the sweat matting on her fur, and knew they would _have_ to take a break soon.

"Don't worry, Cleaver. We'll be stopping soon," she whispered reassuringly.

When they reached the village Gobber pulled his horse to a stop and turned around to look at the two envoys. "We'll stop at an inn for the night and continue by boat in the morning. It'll be about two days of travel if we have good weather."

Jane could see Gunther cringe at that, but she felt too much relief that she would be able to sleep for a full night to lament over the two more days of journeying. Jane estimated they had traveled a little over four hundred miles since they left Kippernium.

"We will go find a stable to take care of our horses until we return from Berk," Jane told him. When he gave a nod she clicked her heels against the horse and set off for a stable she saw down the road. Gunther was right behind her, and as soon as they reached the stables he swung one foot over, slipping down from the saddle.

Jane heard a loud groan, and turned to see him walking a little funny, face twisted with pain. "My legs are going to be sore for a month," he complained.

"At least we'll have two days to rest on the boat," she said, stepping down from her saddle. Pain shot through her legs as she landed on the ground, even though she had done so gently. She grit her teeth and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, her thighs throbbing with every step she took.

"How can I help you?" a stable boy asked, walking out to greet them. Jane pushed away all traces of weakness showing on her face, and forced an indifferent look on it instead.

"We need two stables for our horses," she said, figuring Gobber could make his own arrangements. "We do not know how long we'll be away, but we want to keep them here until we return."

"I need an estimate on how long you are planning on being away," he said as he wiped his hands on his apron.

"About two weeks. A month at the most."

"Then we need a full two month's payment in advance. When you come back any money that is left over we will return. And if you have not returned in two months time, we keep the horse."

"Fair enough," Jane said, and turned towards Gunther. King Caradoc had given him the leather pouch containing the money, since he was a full-fledged knight and Jane was still a squire.

Once their horses were seen to, they walked down the street to an inn and purchased one room. To save money, Jane and Gunther always had to share a room while on missions. It was what all knights did while on missions, so despite Jane's gender, she followed by the rules. Not that she really minded in the first place. All she wanted was to be treated like her male counterparts. Besides, she and Gunther always kept their underclothes on for modesty reasons when undressing for bed.

That night they ate down at the tavern, where they met up again with Gobber. They sat at a table away from the other crowds of boisterous men.

"You'll like Hiccup," Gobber said as he took a big bite out of the chicken leg he had purchased. "He's a big people person, and he has a way with animals as well. People have even taken to saying he has the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon."

Jane had only been vaguely listening—instead concentrating on the hot meal she currently had in front of her—but when she heard that word her head snapped up, eyes alert.

"A dragon?"

This struck her as odd. The Vikings were known dragon slayers, and she knew they saw the animals as demons and monsters rather than the big green lizard she had come to love so much. So why would a society that hated dragons to the point that they hunted them into extinction, compare their beloved Chief to a dragon? If what she assumed was correct, would that not be the same as calling him a demon or monster?

Gobber's face sobered and his eyes grew slightly wider, like he had said something he shouldn't have. "Uh, figuratively speaking, of course."

He gave a nervous chuckle, which only served to further Jane's suspicions. She had been apprehensive about the messenger when he tried to buy time for their chief to plan for their coming, but had originally cast it off as wanting to clean the village up and make it presentable for visitors. But this recent development only gave more proof to the thought that something was not quite right here.

"Your ancestors were the fiercest dragon slayers, correct?" Jane asked, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, yes. Many years ago."

She suddenly thought about Dragon. He had never traveled to Viking territory, knowing that since the Vikings lived there, the chances of finding another dragon were near impossible since they were probably hunted into extinction. So instead he invested many of his three hundred years into searching other regions where he believed dragons might live. So far he had found nothing, but maybe the Vikings had seen a dragon recently. If anything, it was worth a shot—for Dragon.

"How long has it been since a dragon was last spotted?" she asked as she took a bite of her meal.

"Oh, a long time."

"About how many years?" Jane prodded on.

She felt a slight nudge in her side, and cast her gaze to Gunther, who was shooting her daggers. She knew what he was thinking—she was being too obvious. If she kept questioning him about it, he might grow suspicious of her, and under no circumstances could they let on that they had a dragon with them, or the fact that he was following them. It would ruin the chances of an alliance before they had even begun the mission.

"I'd say fifty," Gobber answered before taking a swig of his beer. Fifty years—it was so recent! But not recent enough to think that there might be a dragon or two left up there. Still, she had to inquire for her friend's sake. He was so desperate to find others of his kind.

Jane lowered her gaze back to her plate and concentrated on her food, keeping the questions involving Gobber's comparison of the chief to a dragon to herself. Asking him about it might make him think she was interrogating him or accusing him, and if he was planning something or keeping information from them, the element of surprise was best kept on their side. She couldn't let him know that she had her suspicions.

When they finished their meal Gobber stumbled up to his room, while Jane and Gunther went to theirs. They undressed—keeping on most of their clothes for the sake of keeping warm—and walked to their respective beds. There were two straw mats encased in a canvas covering, with each one placed inside a wooden frame. A square cut out from the wall acted as a window, and let in a shaft of moonlight, giving some light to the darkness in their room. Jane walked over to the window, peering out at the forest stretching out behind the inn.

"Something does not feel right about all this," Jane said, wrapping her arms around her herself, trying to keep warm. She supposed it would be warmer under the blankets that currently covered her mattress, but she was wide awake. "I feel as if something is being kept from us."

"I _feel_ tired. Just give it a rest, Jane, and stop being so paranoid. You will need rest for tomorrow, unless you think you can manage on the six hours of sleep we have been getting lately." Gunther muttered, his voice already groggy with sleep. She could hear the shifting of sheets as he lay down and pulled the blankets up to his chin.

"Why would be compare his chief, who he speaks so highly of, to a dragon? They see them as monsters. It does not make any sense."

"Dragons are also strong and hot-tempered. Did he not mention the chief was boar-headed as well?"

When Jane thought about it, she saw that it made sense. They might see dragons as their enemies and as monsters, but surely they must see the good qualities as well. Strong? Yes. Hot-tempered? Yes. But something inside—her knightly instincts, she kept telling herself—told her otherwise.

"I just think that—"

"Good_night_, Jane," he said forcefully, and as she turned her gaze to him he rolled over onto his side, back facing her.

She let out a sigh. Gunther was overconfident and proud, while Jane liked a more careful approach. Yes, she supposed sleep would be the best option now, but the nagging suspicion that _something_ was wrong with this whole thing kept her mind spinning like a top—preventing any sleep.

Finally, she walked over to her mattress and lay down, pulling the covers over her. She could hear soft snoring sounds coming from the other side of the room—indicating her companion was already fast asleep. Closing her eyes, Jane tried to do the same. Lord knows she needed it. If her suspicions were correct, she would need her rest to remain alert and cautious when they arrived at Berk.

* * *

><p>Gobber laid awake in his room, waiting until late at night to slip out of the inn unnoticed. Then he hurried through the woods, praying to the gods that Grump might actually listen to him and behave for <em>once<em>. His prayers were answered when he finally made it to the site far outside the town limit and found Grump rolled over onto his side, his big tongue hanging out of his mouth. Suddenly his snout crinkled, and he must have smelled his master, because he opened two beady eyes and let out a noise of excitement when he saw Gobber standing there.

"Miss me, Grump?"

Gobber had flown to this village on the back of Grump, and had purchased a horse from the stables to ride to Kippernium. Hiccup wanted to make the alliance as soon as possible, seeing as how winter would be coming in a few months. But since dragons were thought to be legends around these parts, Hiccup instructed him to hide Grump someplace safe until he could return for him. It was supposed to shave four days off the time it would take to sail from Berk to this village, and then back again when Gobber returned (and that was assuming he had good sailing weather). Time was too precious to be wasted. They needed to ensure that they didn't starve when winter came. He walked over to the giant beast and scratched his chin, making his wings flap and his legs twitch in response.

"Okay, I've got an important job for you," he said as he moved down to his saddle. He pulled out the piece of parchment he had written on and tucked it into the saddlebag on Grump's back. The letter inside informed Hiccup of Gobber's return with the two envoys, so Hiccup would have the time to plan how he would explain the dragon situation on Berk to them. He knew if he showed up out of the blue with the two envoys, things might get ugly pretty quickly. After the paper was safely inside the bag, he tied a white piece of cloth to the outside of the leather pouch, so Hiccup would know to look inside.

"Fly back to Berk." Grump gave a groan of complaint, which prodded Gobber to give him a tap on the rump. "Don't make me put you up for adoption."

He finally rolled onto his legs, and with a final lick for Gobber, set off into the night, becoming only a small black speck among the star-studded sky.

The situation with the envoys certainly complicated things, since he had to now purchase a boat to take them to Berk. But at least he had the money he made from selling the horse, which should cover it. When Grump disappeared in the black inkiness of night, Gobber turned around and made his way back to the inn.

* * *

><p>Hiccup had been helping build a roof for a new home when he saw Grump flying towards Berk. He flew lazily, dipping down every so often before finally landing near the shore, rolling onto his back.<p>

Worry set in when he realized Gobber wasn't on him.

He quickly jumped down from the roof and raced over to Grump. The large beast sniffed at Hiccup before giving him a lick.

"Where is Gobber?" a worried voice asked, and he turned around to see his mother walking over to them.

"Just what I was wondering."

As Grump rolled back onto his feet he noticed a white cloth tied to the saddle bag. He unlatched the top and looked inside to see a rolled up piece of parchment. Unrolling it, he read the contents, and let out a sigh of relief.

"It's from Gobber. It says that the king wants to send two envoys here to discuss the details instead of inviting me to his kingdom. He says that if the details are satisfactory, he'll invite me there to make it official. It also says he'll be arriving with the envoys in two days." He ran a hand through his mess of brown hair.

"We should have gone with the Scots," he muttered to himself. This was taking longer than he thought, and now there was a new complication—two envoys coming to Berk. Two envoys who thought dragons were extinct at best, and at worst, mere legends!

"Oh, how are we going to explain the dragon situation to them? _'Uh, you know how you thought dragons were extinct? Yeah, well they're not. In fact, they're sort of like pets on Berk'_." Hiccup moaned, his hand tightening around the paper. "This is going to be a disaster."

"It doesn't have to be," Valka said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We can hide the dragons in the stables before they arrive. That way we can break it to them slowly and get them used to the dragons." She held out her hand. "Here, let me see the letter."

He handed the note over to his mother to read, and she scanned over it. Suddenly, her eyes widened in alarm. "Hiccup, look at the date."

He took it back and saw that the date Gobber had scribbled at the top was exactly three days ago. His head snapped up, green eyes widening in fear. "They'll be here any hour now! We have to hide the dragons!"

"I'll sound the alarm!" she said, running up the hill. Hiccup ran over to Toothless, jumping on his back before taking to the sky. Everyone down in Berk seemed to be going about their day as normal, enjoying a day where the sun was actually shining on Berk.

"Get their attention, bud," Hiccup told him. With a plasma blast rising up high in the sky, bursting into an fiery explosion, most people stopped what they were doing and looked up at their chief. Suddenly the horn sounded, and anyone who either didn't notice the fire or didn't bother to stop, suddenly stalled in their work.

"Listen up, everyone! Two envoys are coming here from a land where people believe dragons are extinct. I want all dragons grounded—either in their stables, or kept locked up in your home until further notice!" Hiccup announced.

At once everyone raced around, grabbing their dragons—either leading them to the newly built stables, or taking them home. With everyone working, he turned and looked out at the horizon, eyes widened even more when he saw the sail of a ship headed for Berk. He turned the gears of the tailfin and Toothless swooped down.

"Come on, bud. You're gonna have to lay low for a while, just until I figure out what to do," he said as he led him to the stables. Inside it was a madhouse, everyone racing about to try and find a stall for their dragon. "Once your dragon is inside a stall, secure the latch and make sure it's tight. If someone is having trouble getting their dragon under control, help them."

Hiccup jumped right into the mess and divided the people up into lines to wait and put their dragons in a stall. It took some time, but eventually the stalls were almost all filled and everyone emptied out, with a few remaining people who were last in line. As he was helping another man close a stubborn latch Astrid ran inside, calling up to him.

"Hiccup, they've just landed at the docks!"

"Are all the other dragons locked up and out of sight?" he asked.

"Yeah."

He and the man he was helping both gave a heave, and finally managed to lock the stall door. He looked around at the few stragglers who were wrestling with their dragons. Locking up a dragon was no easy task—especially the more stubborn ones.

"I'll be out there as soon as I can. I just need to help a few more people and then secure the stables. Stall them as long as you can."

She gave a nod and ran back outside. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. Gods help them all.

* * *

><p>By the time they made it to Berk, Jane was tired, sore, and cranky. The weather had not been good for the past three days. The wind had decided it did not want to blow for them, so she, Gunther, and Gobber had been forced to take up oars and row. Her arms felt like putty, but at least she could see the coast of Berk in the distance. So much for being alert and focused when they reached the island.<p>

One look at Gunther, and she could tell he was just as exhausted as she was. Sweat dripped down his face, and coated his forehead and cheeks. She was fairly certain hers did as well. Already she felt strands of sweat-soaked hair plastered to her face.

When they finally made it to the docks she almost wanted to cry from pure relief, but kept her emotions in check. A few Vikings were already waiting for them, and grabbed the boat head, pulling it closer before tying it to a wooden post. Gobber was the first out, and then he turned around, offering Jane a hand.

Normally she would turn away from such help—she knew it did nothing to help her prove that though she may be a woman, she was also a knight, and therefore, fully capable of taking care of herself—but she was too exhausted to protest, and gratefully accepted it. When she was on solid ground Gobber offered Gunther a hand, which made her feel better, knowing that she wasn't receiving special attention just because she was a woman.

They were led up to the top of the hill and stood in the middle of what she assumed was the town square. Curious villagers gathered around them. Jane looked around when a few moments passed and no one stepped forward to introduce himself as Chief Hiccup.

She knew he couldn't be too far away. After all, the island didn't look that big, and it's not like he could have gone to another village. They were at least two days journey from any other civilization. Then she remembered Gobber saying he could never stay put. Their arrival might be a surprise, but she still felt a bit irritated that the leader of his people wasn't there to greet them, while everyone else was.

Finally, a man with long black hair and five stripes of blue paint on his chin stepped forward. He gave a bow and waved his hand with a flourish. "Hello, and welcome to Berk."

Jane gave him a polite smile. "Hello. We are very pleased to meet you, Chief Hiccup."

He instantly raised an eyebrow, and then let out a short laugh. "Oh, no, I'm not Hiccup. He's, uh, a bit tangled up at the moment." He took a step forward, reaching a hand out. When Jane reached a hand out to give it a shake, he turned it over and placed a kiss on the top. "I'm Eret, son of Eret."

She noticed a girl with long blonde hair and a horned helmet giving her a dirty look at that. "Pleased to meet you."

"And you too, fair lady," Eret said. Then he turned to Gunther and held out a hand. Gunther took it and they shook. Any ideas Jane had about being treated equally dimmed a bit, but shook the simple gesture off. Maybe he was just trying to be polite.

Suddenly a man wearing leather attire of various colors came hurrying out of what Jane assumed was a stable. He latched the doors before jogging down to them. As he approached, she took in his appearance. All the Vikings she had seen so far were very broad and rugged looking, giving them a gruff sort of look. This one, however, was different. He had a small frame, with his appearance neat, and his face clean-shaven. His hair wasn't as long as most of the other men, but looked soft and just a bit bushy, sticking out in various spots. However, like Gobber, he seemed to be missing a leg. In its place was a metal one that looked more complicated than any other she had seen.

He wore a suit of leather armor unlike anything she had ever seen before as well. The battle armor of a knight from Kippernium was various plates of armor that covered most of the body. The man's suit seemed to be the same idea, only the metal was replaced with leather. A metal canister was fastened to his right leg, though, and this intrigued Jane. What could it be?

Then when he got close enough to make out the smaller details, she noticed a red badge on one of the straps that went across his chest. Jane could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the symbol on it, and squinted her eyes. No, she was not simply seeing things. The red emblem was definitely in the shape of a curled up dragon. She thought perhaps that might be why the people said he had the soul of a dragon, but did not have long to dwell on it before he reached them.

He gave them both a kind smile. "Hey, welcome to Berk. I'm Hiccup. Sorry I'm a little late, we didn't know you'd be arriving today, and we had a…uh…a little…situation at the stables I had to take care of."

"It is no problem. We are pleased to meet you, Chief Hiccup," Gunther said, remembering the manners he so sorely lacked back at Kippernium. "I am Sir Gunther. And this is Jane."

Gunther extended a hand, which Hiccup took and gave a firm shake, then did the same with Jane. Okay, so maybe she would be treated as an equal to Gunther while here. At least, if how their chief treated her was any indication.

Hiccup turned his eyes back to Gunther and gave a nod towards Jane. "And this must be your wife?"

Gunther burst out laughing, and surprise flashed across Hiccup's face, then embarrassment as he realized his mistake. "Jane? I wouldn't marry her if she were the last woman on earth!"

"I am a Knight," Jane said, easily brushing aside the assumption.

Hiccup's eyebrows rose, a smile playing across his face. "Oh, a female knight?"

Jane frowned. "Yes, I am a female and a knight."

_You are very perceptive,_ Jane wanted to snap, but she held in her comment. A good knight always kept his or her feelings under control. _Aggression clouds judgment_, Sir Theodore would say if he were here.

Hiccup must have seen in her expression that she was irritated, though, because he quickly tried to add, "Oh, I didn't mean to offend you. I just didn't think that—"

Jane had heard enough of his picking at her. She was exhausted, sleep-deprived, hungry, and she was _not_ feeling in the mood to put up with this. She held up a hand to stop him. "That a woman can become a knight? You would not be the first."

His green eyes widened, and he held up both hands, as if in surrender. "Whoa, there. Slow down. This is a big misunderstanding—" he tried to say, but she cut him off once again.

"There is no misunderstanding. I understand very clearly your attitude towards me and my gender."

At this a brief flash of hurt crossed his eyes, followed by regret. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could Gobber stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"I have a letter here for you, Hiccup." He pulled the sealed scroll out of his pocket and handed it over. Hiccup gave one last sad look at Jane before turning his attention to the letter. He broke the seal and quickly scanned over the writing.

"All right. Well, I can see we have a lot to discuss. But for now we'll have to see to your sleeping arrangements," he said, scratching the back of his head as he glanced around.

A woman who looked very much like Hiccup, and who Jane instantly assumed to be his mother, took a step forward. "What about the newly finished house at the edge of the town square? The cottage is spacious enough to house the two envoys."

He gave her a smile. "Great idea, mom." Then he gave a nod towards Jane and Gunther. "All right, if you could just follow me."

As he started to lead them away, a sudden commotion came from the stables. Both Hiccup and his mother looked up in alarm as a loud sound of something breaking came from inside, followed by a moment or two of silence. Then, a noise broke the silence—a noise that instantly reminded Jane very much of the sounds Dragon made.

Suddenly the doors to the stable burst open, and a large, black shape came bounding out, running down the hills towards them. Jane couldn't tell what it was, but knew enough to know that it definitely _was not_ a horse. Fear of the unknown sprung up in the pit of her stomach, but years of knight's training had taught her to keep her wits about her. She immediately jumped into action, her hand flying to her sword. The sound of metal against sheath could be heard as she drew it out a few inches.

Hiccup must have heard the sound, because he turned and held up both hands, stopping her. "No, don't draw your sword! He won't harm you!"

When the animal neared closer Jane finally got a good look at him, and her jaw dropped. Her grip on her sword loosened before it finally dropped back down to her side. Big claws…black scales…giant leathery wings—it was a dragon!

"I do not believe it!" she exclaimed. The beast gave a final leap and stopped in front of Hiccup, eyes shining with delight. Jane stood frozen, wondering how it was possible. The Vikings were known dragon slayers—had been for decades—so how could they stand here like nothing was wrong?

Hiccup moved over to the dragon and ran a hand down its snout, making the creature lean into his touch. Then, he gave him a lick. It reminded her of the way she and Dragon acted around each other. Hiccup's eyes snapped over to Jane, a worried look on his face. He moved in front of the dragon, as if trying to protect him from her.

"I know you think dragons are extinct, but they are very much alive."

"You are Vikings—dragon slayers!" Jane exclaimed.

"Not anymore. Here on Berk we don't kill dragons, we ride them. We were trying to think of a way to tell you," he said, pleading with his voice, and silently with his eyes.

For a moment she was stunned into silence, but then a slow grin spread across her face, and she let out a laugh.

"I do not believe it! All this time we believed…" She let out another laugh and took a step towards the dragon.

"Hello, there," she said to the dragon, but he made no move to reply. Her eyes flickering over to Hiccup, thinking maybe he wouldn't speak to her unless he was given permission.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing towards the creature. Surprise crossed his face, probably at her easy manner around the dragon, since he assumed she thought they were extinct. But he gave a nod anyway. Oh, he was in for a surprise, she thought. Jane moved slowly towards the dragon, holding a hand out until she was close enough to touch him. He gave a sniff, and then pressed his snout against the palm of her hand. Jane was grinning from ear to ear as she scratched his head.

"You are just a big softie. And remind me an awful lot of someone very close to me," she chuckled. "It is nice to meet you. What is your name?"

"His name is Toothless," Hiccup replied for him, and she looked up to see him raising an eyebrow at her.

Jane glanced down at Toothless's mouth, seeing the row of sharp dragon teeth. "Interesting name…and to think all this time we believed…" her sentence trialed off, just like before.

Toothless still had yet to say two words to her. Maybe the dragons were used to being spoken for here, Jane though, or maybe this particular dragon was just shy. Apparently not all dragons were as talkative as her loveable green lizard.

"I know you thought dragons were extinct, but there are many here on Berk."

Jane's head snapped up from looking at the dragon. "There are _more?_"

He gave a smile. "Yes, hundreds."

At this Jane finally remembered Dragon did not yet know the good news. Dragon, who was probably a ways away—totally unaware that there were apparently _hundreds_ of his kind so close by. She had to tell him—had to show him that he wasn't alone. All that time spent searching when they were up here all along.

"Well, it turns out you were wrong about us too," Jane said, pulling away. "We do not believe dragons are extinct. In fact…"

She reached for her sword, fiddling with the pommel until it came loose. Pulling out the long cord, she swung it high above her head.

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows when a low humming sound rang through the air. "What are you doing?"

She gave him a big grin. "You are not the only one with a dragon."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so it was half of a reveal, but the other half with Dragon's reaction will be first thing next chapter. <strong>**Thanks to all who followed, favorited, and reviewed! Your support means a lot! :)**


End file.
